Minister Ivkova Discussed the Next Steps for the National Children's Hospital with the Public Council

The Minister of Health Katya Ivkova and Deputy Minister Prof. Petko Salchev held their first working meeting with the members of the Public Council for the construction of the National Multidisciplinary Children’s Hospital, during which the next stages of the project’s implementation were discussed. This was reported by the ministry.

During the discussions, it became clear that the council’s composition is to be supplemented with representatives from various professional communities. The goal is to ensure the broadest possible expertise in the process.

“For me and my team, it is extremely important to work with full transparency and in dialogue with civil society and the academic community. The construction of this hospital is not just an administrative project, but a long-awaited national cause that requires the unification of the best experts in the country,” stated Minister Katya Ivkova during the meeting, adding that public dialogue is a mandatory prerequisite for the effective management of the process.

Key steps outlined in the current progress report for the site were discussed during the event. Special attention was paid to the announced public tender for the design of the future hospital. Issues regarding the necessary additional funding for the project’s construction, as well as the staffing of the medical facility, were also raised. The transport infrastructure around the adjacent terrain was also included as an item on the agenda.

Desislava Malinova, the Executive Director of the Health Investment Company for Children’s Hospital EAD, also participated in the discussion. She emphasized that the state company and the Ministry of Health do not view the project in isolation but are working on it in its overall complexity—from engineering and technical planning to future staffing. Ms. Malinova added that she believes in dialogue and a constructive partnership with the representatives of the Public Council, as the construction of a modern children’s hospital is a cause of national importance.

In conclusion, the Health Minister reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to the timely and high-quality advancement of all procedures. “It is our duty to provide Bulgarian children with modern, safe, and European-standard healthcare, and this can only happen when institutions, experts, and the public look in the same direction,” Katya Ivkova stated firmly.